Chile Santiago South Mission Oct. 23, 2013-April 2015

I had a lot of emotions throughout this last week… emotions of happiness.. of saddness.. and lots and lots of stress. However, I would like to share a special experience.

Last Sunday, while I was getting ready for the day… I felt in my heart that everything will be okay.. and that the Lord is pleased… I felt extremely tranquil… and since then, I had been extremely peaceful… I cannot describe it. I am not happy or sad anymore.. I am only peaceful.. And I had been living with this peace for the rest of the week. It`s absolutely beautiful.

A couple days ago, a companion of mine (she was on divisions with the hermana liders in the house) and asked for advice.. We stayed up late, but I helped her.. During that time, I received more revelation… I read to her Helaman 10:1-5… And it was beautiful.. Suddenly the Spirit told me something extremely special.. At the end of verse 4.. The Lord said that He was pleased because Nefi did His will and kept the commandments… I felt that pierce into my heart..

I am not the best missionary… I didnt have much success… Nor special assignments.. I am not anyone extraordinary or did something incredible.. because I did not do any of that.. Only the Lord did all of those things.. However, I did do His will the best I could.. and that is what matters to me.. And for that.. I feel EVEN MORE at peace.

I am a very happy person and I know that this gospel is the only happiness we can have in this life. I know that my Savior lives and He loves us so much…

To end the mission, we are required to write a few thoughts to the President.. and this form has some questions.. I would like to write one of the questions and answers.

The development of your relation with the Lord:

My Savior… is more than everything to me. I have tears in my eyes just thinking about everything He had done for me. I knew before that He had suffered and died for me, but now it means so more to me.. I KNOW that the Atonement is real… that repentance is truly a gift… In my mission, I had felt very close to the Lord. I felt only the slightest bit of how He felt… when people rejected me.. spat on me.. when the people I truly love fell in sin or turned away from making sacred covenants with the Lord. I had learned to love the people that hated me and I had learned the meaning of forgiveness.. All of my mission, I had learned a little more about my Savior everyday… and the depthness of His Atonement. In the times of my deepest despair, the Lord comforted me.. AND I felt His love for me. He was there for me and He NEVER left me alone. I had experiened someone wrapping their arms around me. Through the Atonement, I had received strength to keep on going, to work with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. Especially I had felt peace truly.. The Lord has done all of this for me, and I can never pay the debt… for that, I give thanks to Him for His mercy, love, and grace. I testify with all my heart and soul that our Savior and Redeemer lives! I testify of the power of His Atonement. Here on the mission, I had come to develop a special relationship with my Savior and I will continue to do so until the end of my days on this earth and throughout all time and eternity.

With tears in my eyes, I write to you all.. testifying of this wonderful Plan that God has created for us. I testify of His love. I know that this is the true church.. and that the Book of Mormon is true. I know we have a true living prophet on the earth.. and he guides and directs us, under the direction of our Savior.

Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support for me and for my sister throughout our missions. I will see you in a few days.

So this week went by super fast.. We had to stay inside for two days because it was dangerous.. lots of protests.. they do that every year.

1. Today, I went back to an old ward, Chena to say goodbye to some people. It was sad, but I was very happy to see the people I love. Next week, I will say goodbye to San Miguel.

2. A couple weeks ago, I was on divisions with a young women.. and it was kind of late.. Anyway, I saw a woman walking with her baby in a stroller.. and I felt impressed to talk to her.. So I chased her down and eventually talked with her. She agreed that we could pass by for her house. Anyway, this last week, we taught her the first lesson.. and she accepted to be baptized!! We were sooo happy. She has 3 little children (4, 2, and 10 months.) Then she invited us to return the next day. So we returned the next day and taught her husband.. and he was extremely receptive as well! It was amazing!

3. Also, this last Sunday, Camilo came to church.. and he loved the experience. We are going to set a fecha fija with baptizm soon. There is a lot of hope! I am so happy that I am to help people come unto Christ!

4. Oh my goodness!!!! General Conference!!! I am so excited! Anyway, I had been studying out the conference talks of October 2014, and they are amazing… These men are truly called of God.. And they speak for the Lord. If we want to hear how Heavenly Father speaks, or Christ, it´s through them. Pleaaaase! Everyone listen to all the sessions!! It will be amazing!!

5. Tomorrow, I will have an activity with my barrio.. Karaoke.. And I believe I will be a judge.. or singing.. we will find out.

Please pray for me this week, It will be my last complete week on the mission.. and I want to finish with LOTS of miracles! I love you all with my heart!!!

Well, This week went by super fast and crazy!!! I don’t have a lot of time to write so here we go..

I gave my 20 minute workshop class for the mission Monday and Tuesday. I had two different choirs sing the mission song. It was a lot of work, I lost sleep, but Everything went very well. The missionaries loved the song and they loved the ideas of how to use music in teaching the gospel. It was very sucessful. Thank you all for your prayers and support.

They gave the song and the workshop list to every missionary.. and it will be in the area book.. maybe for years. I am so happy that I was able to help the mission. The President gave me an extremely good compliment when he gave his thanks over the pulpit. It made me feel good. 🙂

I went to the temple today for the last time here in Chile.. And I cried. I cried especially in the Celestial Room.. Its the temple that I love.. and I had gone to that temple more than the one back at home. Its my temple. Anyway, Heavenly Father gave me some answers.. and I felt especially close to Him today. I felt His love and I felt that everything is going to be okay. He told me to seguir adelante. To have faith in Him and move on. I literally felt someone giving me a hug today.. It was extremely special.

After… And the funniest thing… I had a huge dream to go to Hard Rock Cafe… and I wasn’t planning on going… but some elders invited us to go with them.. and we were like YEAH. So after.. we went there JAJA. Don’t worry, we didn’t lose the Spirit. I ate the yummieset hamburger for the last 1.5 years.

SOO GOOOODE NEWS!!! Remember the family who were having a bad influence! WE WERE ABLE TO TEACH THEM! We got into their house and we are teaching like crazy.. and with power. AND AND! THE BEST PART. The people that are there.. ARE receiving the lessons now!! And they all went to church!! It was amazing. Just from that family.. about 15 of them went to church. It was a miracle!!

Also, we are finding new people!! We found a 20 year old girl, Camila.. who was just sitting out on the streets.. we felt like we had to talk to her. When we asked if there was something we could do, she asked us to give her a hug.. so we did! And we taught her. She is super receptive and she wants to learn more!

Another is a family.. They are older.. the son is about 26 years old. Anyway, they are super receptive.. and want to learn more! Its amazing!1

So I don’t know if I had written already, but I am giving classes of music and its going nicely. I love it!

We are teaching a HUGE family full of adults.. with all types of religions.. 7 of them… at once. Its a battle..with their questions and all that stuff.. However, this last week, we taught them about The Restoration.. and everyone was silent.. and they listened carefully.. When we finished they all wanted to read the Book of Mormon! YEAH!!!! We were happy to give our Books of Mormon away.

This week was awesome! Also, we had the highest asistencia in history of this ward this last week. It was incredible!!

Thank you all for everything. Keep on praying!! And read the Conference talks. OH MY I AM EXCITED FOR CONFERENCE!! WOooh!

Well, big news. I will be giving a workshop to the missionaries soon.. about how to use music in missionary work. So that is exciting! They had made my list of ideas and they will give it to every missionary to put in their manuals. I am so happy and honored that I was able to do something for the mission. Of course, the Lord did everything.. and all of the work is done by Him.

So this week had been a little tough so here we go:

1. Bernarda, an investigator with a baptism date… I called her because I felt I had to. She had been out on vacation in the beach.. So I called her and she told me very bad news… that she had done somethings and now she cannot be baptized.. I cried.

2. The recent converts, a family of a mom, and two daugthers.. They are now ignoring us… Its horrible because people moved in to live with them (family) and they are a bad influence. Its extremely stressful.. but we are doing all we can to keep them.. We can´t lose them.

3. The members of our ward has been attacked by Satan.. and everyone has problems. We are running around literally, visiting EVERYONE. Investigators, less actives, and members. Everyone needs help and we are doing what we can to help them.

4. I am starting up a program in the ward where the missionaries are getting involved with Mujeres Jovenes and Soc soc.. but more involved.. More assignments.. more visitas.. The members are now accompaning us more.. so there is a grand work here.

DONT WORRY! I am happy as can be and I am working! I get home at night and I die in my bed.. I am falling asleep extremely fast night now. I am happy.

I love you all! Keep on praying!!! And go to church. I invite you all to listen to the conference talks of October 2014. They are extremely special and you will ALL learn something!!

So EVERYONE, PLEASE, nobody can write me about home or nothing. Only Dad has permission.. and dad, I only want the general email you do for everyone. One line about everyone jaja!

Everyone else, please write emails of strength and inspiring stuff! I want to be absolutely focused and I don´t want to be trunky like everyone else haha!

I trust that everything will be okay at home.. The Lord is watching over you all and I know it with all my heart.

1. Today, I went on a huge hike with the girls in my apartment.. and it was great! I want to send fotos but the battery of my camera died. Its called San Cristobal. It was great! I am sun-burned.

2. One of the girls in my apartment went home a couple days ago.. and oh my goodness. We had a party. I made arepas and chocolate goodies..

3. The program is fine! We are finding new people and we are teaching! There is a new kid named Juan Fran that doesn´t believe in God, but he wants to hear what we have to say. We taught him about the nature of Heavenly Father and it was beautiful. He also wants to learn English, so I have a plan on teaching him using Liahonas or the Book of Mormon.

4. I am going to be giving Music Classes on Saturdays.. Everyone was demanding that I give music classes, so it will be the first time on the mission! I hope everything goes well with that.